A New Start
by vinegartits
Summary: When Nicky is released from prison and she bids goodbye to her prison family and friends.


Disclaimer: This is based on my imagination and none of these are real. So don't take it too seriously and enjoy! :-) I apologize for any mistakes you spot.

* * *

"Jesus Christ, where are all these people?" Nicky murmurs to herself while walking through the bunks. To her surprise, none of them were there. She walks around aimlessly, stops by the toilet, before finally making her way to the recreation room.

As Nicky approaches the recreation room, she hears noises, and figures maybe her friends are there.

"SURPRISE!" When Nicky opens the door, she was greeted by not only her friends and family, but also some ghetto and Spanish girls that she normally doesn't hang out with like Cindy, Crazy Eyes, Poussey, Gloria and her girls.

"What's this?" Nicky asks, still unable to believe what's in front of her eyes.

"Can't you see that? It's a farewell party for you!" Piper points to the big poster that said 'You'll be missed, Nichols' and pulls Nicky into the center of the room.

"Yeah, didn't think I'd have a farewell party, but thank you all so much." Nicky expresses what she truly feels instead of putting up a wall like she normally does.

"Don't forget us when you get out tomorrow, alright, buddy?" Alex pulls the shorter girl into a headlock.

Nicky punches Alex's arm when she gets out of the headlock she was in. She looks around and notices someone missing. She grabs Lorna and pulls her to the corner of the room.

"Where's Red? Was she not informed that y'all are doing a farewell party for me?" Nicky blows a few strands of hair out of her face.

"Yeah.. We did tell her. She said okay but we haven't seen her since this morning." Lorna knows it's bothering Nicky that Red didn't turn up. She runs over to the snacks table and runs right back to Nicky.

"Don't think about it now! Here! I made you a cupcake! Well, Gloria made this but I did the frosting! It says 'Comfortable', which means you are very comfortable!" Nicky let out a laugh at the tiny girl holding the cupcake. She accepts the cupcake and runs to get one for Lorna too.

They turn the music up and soon the girls are all engrossed in dancing, Nicky still can't believe she'll be released tomorrow but decides to throw all the problem to the back of her head and enjoy her last day in prison.

After awhile, they join the tables in the room and sit around it. They also secretly pass each other cups of pruno that Poussey made when the COs aren't looking.

"Seriously, Nichols, don't fool around when you get out. Stay clean and make a life out there. Don't you dare come back here." Daya says in a serious tone, indicating she isn't joking. Although Nicky and the Spanish girls don't mix around much, she knows Daya is a kind girl and possibly the nicest out of all of them.

"Alright, I know," Nicky raises her cup at Daya.

"If only Marka cares about me like how these girls do." Nicky thought to herself.

"So, are there any memorable things for you to remember when you get out of here?" Piper asks from across the table.

"Well, one must be remembered is the bang off I had with Boo," She says and everyone in the room laugh, even herself. "And of course the first day that I got here. It's not something nice to remember but you know," Nicky shrugs and everyone give an understanding nod.

"Alright, ladies, dinner in 45 minutes." Bennett who is guarding them shouts and disappointment painted across all of the girls' faces.

"Aww man… I wish time would pass slower!" Lorna pouts, but Nicky hugs her immediately, knowing that she is upset the only person who cares about her will be released tomorrow, even though she shouldn't be.

—

After dinner and everyone has gone back to their bunks, Nicky figures Red would still be in the kitchen cleaning up. She heads there, in hope of talking to Red like she planned to in her head.

"Hey, ma." Nicky says when she sees Red cleaning the counter. Red throws her a rag. She catches it and starts wiping the counter she's in front of.

"How's dinner? I made a special menu for you." Red has made Nicky's favourite food for her for dinner. Albeit she didn't have the freshest ingredients, she did the best that she could with the ingredients she got from the garden.

"Yeah, it was great. Thank you so much. Uh, can we talk, uh, privately?" Nicky asks awkwardly.

Red tilts her head at Norma, indicating for her to give them some privacy.

"What's up, kid?"

"I, uh, why aren't you at the farewell party just now? I was waiting for you."

"It's the youngsters thing, nobody wants an old lady like me there." Red avoids eye contact with Nicky.

"Norma was there!" Nicky scoffs, and goes to Red. "Ma, look at me. Will you please tell me what's wrong?" Red can always sense it if Nicky is troubled. Vice versa.

"Nicky, I'm just, sad, that I'm losing you, my favorite daughter." Red lets down her guard, and is all vulnerable in front of Nicky. She has nothing to lose.

"Jesus, you're not losing me, ma. I'll still be your daughter after tomorrow. You'll still be my mom. You're the only mom that I ever had. You took care of me from day one, you adored me, you teach me things, you did things that Marka never did in my whole life. I appreciate that, but our bond doesn't end tomorrow. It will continue for forever." Nicky wipes the tears that were rolling down Red's cheeks.

"I am so lucky to have you." Red pulls Nicky into a bone crashing hug.

"Is that why you didn't come to the farewell party? Because you're sad?" Nicky asks.

"Yes." Red answers softly and Nicky chuckles. Red does have a cute side to her.

Nicky helps Red clean up the kitchen and they head to Red's bunk.

Red took out some chips and candies she had kept, she was going to bring it to Nicky's farewell party but since she didn't go, she figures she might as well have it now with her daughter.

They open the bags of candies and chips as softly as they could so as to not wake Piper up or alert the COs.

"What will you be doing when you are released?" Red asks.

"Ugh, I've been asked that about a thousand times today. I don't know. Find a job, maybe? But what can I do? I mean, I'm an ex-convict after all." Nicky shrugs while throwing candies into her mouth.

"Hey, listen. You learnt things here that you can apply in your life. Find something to do with electrical, or just go to my restaurant. I'll tell Dmitri to give you a job there."

"Sure."

"Where will you be staying?"

"Well, I filled out Marka's address when I got in here. So I'll be staying with her."

"Great, at least I don't have to worry about you not having a decent place to stay. Be sure to stay clean and listen to Marka. Even if she says bullshits." Red chuckles.

"I'll miss you, ma."

"I'll miss you too, little girl." Red brushes Nicky's unkempt hair, "Let's get you into bed. You need to have a good night's sleep because tomorrow is a big day for you." Red stands up from her bed, ready to walk Nicky to her bunk sneakily but the younger girl isn't moving.

"I wanna sleep in your arms," A smile paints across Nicky's face and Red smile at her girl.

"Alright, come here." Nicky sleeps close to Red, so close that she could feel Red's heartbeat. Nicky always yearns for a mother figure who would love her and take care of her like a regular mother would. And she got that from Red. The Russian woman is definitely a woman she respects the most in her life.

—

8am sharp; and Nicky is given the set of clothes by the prison, "change into these and meet me at the lobby." CO Maxwell hands Nicky the sneakers, jeans and red sweater.

After Nicky is changed, she sees her family and a few of her good friends standing by the front of the bunks. With Red in a sad but kinda proud smile, Lorna in tears, Piper doing her best not to cry, Alex smiling a proud smile at her, Gina with her usual poker face, Norma with her 'Norma smile', Boo and Pennsatucky both holding bags of her favorite candies.

Nicky gives each one of them hugs, with Piper first, "I'm gonna miss you and your smarty pants, Chapman. Still hope you'll get fat and stop shavin' your legs." Piper smacks her lightly on the back.

"Miss you already, Vause. Thanks for being a great friend, I'll never forget our one night stand, don't worry, won't breathe a word to Chapman. And, I need you to help me look after Morello, make sure no one bullies her, okay?" Nicky chuckles and Alex nods and places a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm gettin' out, Murphy. I'll always be a sister you can be proud of, alright? Good luck." Nicky ruffles Gina's head and Gina gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Quiet storm, I'm going to miss the deafening silence I get whenever I'm near you. You're always so positive and cute, love you." Norma gives Nicky her usual 'shoulder squeeze', except Nicky didn't cry.

"I'll wait for you to get out of here and have another bang off with me. I'm just kidding, maybe a, udon contest this time?" Nicky messes Boo's hair and this time Boo doesn't get angry since it's the last time Nicky is gonna mess her hair.

"Any contests you want, honey."

"In the name of Jesus," Nicky mocks Pennsatucky, but hugs her tiny frame, "Look out for one another, okay? Gonna miss you and your filthy mouth." Nicky laughs, and ruffles Pennsatucky's hair.

"Come here Morello." Nicky hugs Lorna so tight Lorna could feel her heartbeat,

"I'm going to miss you so much, little one. I'm gonna visit you every week, kay? Be sure to add me onto the visitation list. And when I visit you, you're gonna tell me everything that happens in here. If someone bullies you, tell ma or Vause, they'll comfort you like how I always do and after that, they will help you plot a revenge.

I'll wait for you to be get out of here, okay? We'll go to Bora Bora Bora and places you'd like to go.

Don't forget me and I love you so much, kid." Nicky breaks the hug and kisses Lorna on her lips. The girl is in a crying mess, but Nicky doesn't mind.

Nicky walks to Red, the two look into each other's eyes for a few seconds before hugging, "Ma, I have so many things to thank you for I don't even know where to start. But I'm gonna do you proud outside and when you get out of here, I will thank you for all the things you've done for me one by one. I will visit you every week and call me every night, okay? I will do what a daughter does. I will listen to you about how your day goes by, which bitch pisses you off, how people smile after eating your food and how they praise your excellent food. I'll be a proud daughter of yours, I promise. I love you, ma."

Red places a kiss on Nicky's cheek and cups her face, "I'll be proud of you no matter what you do outside. You'll do good, okay? I love you."

"Alright, let's go. You can't bring any food outside." CO Maxwell warns and Nicky scoffs before tossing the bags of candies back to Pennsatucky and Boo.

It's time for Nicky to have a fresh new start, nothing will stop her and she will stay clean for good. She's gonna miss her girlfriend, Heroin, but for the love of Red and her family, she'll say goodbye and break up with her.

It's a new start for Nicole Nichols when she hops onto the van and out of Litchfield.


End file.
